Send Me Off With a Smile
by Shadowed-Shikyo
Summary: When Mitsuki's best friend transfers schools, she suddenly finds herself alone. But when Sawada No-Good Tsuna knocks down her kendo captain and asks out Sasagawa Kyoko clad in nothing but his boxers, she learns that there is more to Tsuna than she thought. Well, that baby in the fedora might have something to do with it. YamamotoxOC, 80xOC
1. Satou Mitsuki

**What, I'm starting another story? I got into KHR a couple months ago so... yep.**

**A couple things first though. I intend to make this story follow the manga plot as close as possible with a few elements from the anime mixed in. I'm also going to try to get through the Daily Life Arc as quickly as I can.**

**I'm not entirely happy with this chapter because it's the introductory chapter. The plot won't start for a little bit. Also note that the rating is subject to change (mm, probably around when the Varia show up.)**

**This is also a slow romance because not only are the characters fourteen years old but also because Yamamoto is oblivious. **_**Extremely**_** oblivious. So don't expect mushy romance-y stuff until much later.**

**KHR doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Akira Amano.**

**So enjoy!**

**-x-**

"Mitsuki, breakfast's ready!"

"Be there in a sec!" Satou Mitsuki shouted from her bedroom. She shoved her books into her bag and slung it over her shoulder before heading down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Morning!" Mitsuki cheerfully greeted her mom as she sat down at the table. She dropped her bag on the floor next to her and picked up her fork.

Wait a second, fork?

"A western breakfast, Mom?" Mitsuki's nose crinkled slightly. It wasn't that she minded western food but she preferred Japanese food over it.

"We ran out of rice last night as I was making your lunch." Her mom, Misaki, replied and set a glass of milk down in front of her. "So eggs and toast will have to do."

"Alright." Mitsuki sighed and started to eat.

"Do you think you can go to the store for me after school and pick up some rice?" Misaki asked. "I'll give you some money."

"I have kendo after school." Mitsuki replied between mouthfuls.

"Oh, that's right." Mitsuki didn't miss the brief look of irritation on her mom's face at the mention of kendo but she sighed and sipped at her coffee. "Your father and I will be busy all day with work, can you go after?"

"I suppose?" Mitsuki said thoughtfully. "It's Friday, after all." _And I'll have the weekend to do homework._

"Good." She put some yen on the table. "This should cover it."

"'Kay." Mitsuki finished her eggs and toast and downed her milk. "I'm off!" She pocketed the money into her bag. Then she pulled out a spare hair tie and put her long, black hair up into its usual ponytail.

"Have a good day!" Her mom called behind her as Mitsuki grabbed her second bag full of her kendo equipment.

"I will!" Mitsuki left her house, closed the gate behind her, and began her twenty minute trek to Namimori Middle School.

About ten minutes into her walk she met up with her best friend like always. "Hey Chiharu!" Mitsuki called out and waved to the other girl.

"Mitsuki!" Chiharu gave her a small smile. "Morning."

Chiharu looked dressier than usual. Her light brown hair was immaculately curled and she was wearing more makeup than usual. But she wasn't smiling as widely as she normally did and she was nervously playing with her bow on the front of her uniform.

"You look nice." Mitsuki commented.

"Yeah." Chiharu fidgeted, now playing with the hem of her skirt.

"Something wrong?" Mitsuki frowned. She knew Chiharu well enough to figure out when she was bothered by something. And judging by the fidgeting, something must be up.

"Ah, I'll tell you later. We should get going or else we'll be late." Chiharu motioned for Mitsuki to keep walking.

They continued on towards school, both not talking much unlike all the other days when they walked to school together. Normally Mitsuki would ramble on about kendo or her upperclassmen. Chiharu would talk about their homework from last night or a test coming up and whether or not Mitsuki wanted to come over to her house to study. So the silence was unusual and uncomfortable.

"Do you have any plans for the weekend?" Mitsuki finally broke the silence.

"I'm going shopping with my Mom." Chiharu answered.

"Sounds fun. I'll be doing my usual." Mitsuki said. Her usual consisted of homework and the normal jog around Namimori to help stay in shape for kendo.

"Like usual?" Chiharu joked. A smile finally formed and she giggled.

"Yep." Mitsuki laughed and soon enough, they were laughing and chatting like usual.

-x-

"Morning!" Someone said to Mitsuki in the hallways as they walked past.

"Morning!" Mitsuki called back and knelt down to take off her shoes and switch them for the indoor ones. She shoved her shoes into her locker and took a quick trip down to the locker rooms to put her kendo bag away.

At exactly two minutes to the bell, Mitsuki slipped into her classroom and took her seat. The seat in front of her was empty—as usual. The occupant would be running into the room in five minutes or so.

"Alright. Settle down." Their teacher called them to attention and began roll call. "Ai!"

"Here!"

And on it went like usual.

"Nakamura!"

"Here!" Chiharu chirped.

"Satou!"

Mitsuki raised her hand. "Here!"

"Sasagawa!"

"Here!" Sasagawak Kyoko, the 'idol' of Namimori raised her hand too.

And then, without warning, the door slammed open and a panting boy with gravity-defying brown hair stood in it.

"SAWADA!" The teacher shouted, a vein popping out of his forehead. "You're late!"

"Sorry!" Sawada Tsunayoshi apologized and shut the door behind him.

Almost immediately the whispers began.

"No-Good Tsuna is always late!"

"I wonder how low his test score is going to be..."

"No-Good Tsuna can't do anything!"

The boy labeled as "No-Good" Tsuna made his way over to his seat and plopped down in it—right in front of Mitsuki. By the way his shoulders were stiff, she could tell he was trying to ignore the whispers.

"Now that Sawada has decided to grace us with his presence—snickers went through the classroom and Tsuna visibly flinched—we can continue on."

He handed out tests. "Yamamoto—seventy-four." He read out.

"Ah, not bad!" The resident baseball stood up, rubbing the back on his head.

_Ah, even in the early morning Yamamoto-kun looks good._ Mitsuki thought dreamily as she watched him get his test. Tall, lean, fantastically good at baseball, and with handsome looks, Yamamoto Takeshi was one of the most popular boys in school.

And Mitsuki's had a crush on him since the second grade.

Since then, she cultivated little pieces of information about him:

His birthday was April twenty-fourth (making him just a few weeks older than her.)

He was 5'8" and weighed one hundred-thirty eights pounds.

His blood type was O.

His favorite drink was milk.

His favorite food was sushi (and his favorite type of sushi was fatty tuna, young yellowtail, and shrimp.)

His dad owned a sushi bar.

His favorite instrument was the taiko.

And in baseball, his favorite position was batting (Mitsuki also thought he was great at pitching) but he was aiming to become an all-rounder.

Yep, just the little things. However, Mitsuki wasn't the most knowledgeable about him in the school. The girls who watched him constantly at baseball practice knew the most. Unfortunately, Kendo Club was at the same time as baseball practice so Mitsuki could never watch him.

"Nakamura—ninety-nine. The highest in class." Chiharu stood up to some small cheers from other people in class as she got her test.

"Sasagawa—eighty-nine."

"Kurokawa—eighty-five."

"Satou—eighty-eight." _That's pretty good!_ Mitsuki thought as she took her test back.She had been worried about her math test since she barely had any time to study for it—what with kendo and all.

"Sawada—fifteen." The snickers came back as Tsuna grabbed his test and nearly ran back to his desk.

_Poor Tsuna._ Mitsuki watched him shove his test away and out of sight. _He's not able to do much, is he?_ He was infamous for not being able to do anything. His test scores were always low, he always came in last, and was always last to be picked and first to be teased. She had felt sorry for him ever since they were put in the same class and she got a firsthand experience with how badly he was treated.

She never made fun of him but she never defended or helped him either.

People in their school were merciless and would also make fun of anyone who tried to help or befriend him (not that anyone did.) No one's popularity could save them from being teased for being affiliated with No-Good Tsuna.

The rests of the tests were handed out and then they moved onto their first lesson—English.

"Crap." Mitsuki muttered as she pulled out her book. English wasn't her best subject, she could never get the pronunciations right.

"Kurokawa, start reading on page sixty-six."

"Alright." Kurokawa Hana stood up and began to read.

Mitsuki could follow it easily enough. It was a history excerpt on England's Queen Victoria; her early life and then coronation as queen. _I wonder what it would be like to be a queen of an entire nation?_ She idly wondered as she followed along.

"Satou, repeat this phrase." Their teacher said after Hana finished speaking. "Queen Victoria would take the throne after William the Fourth's death."

"Yes." Mitsuki attempted to translate. "Queen Biktolia—"

"Vic-to-ria! Hard 'r', Satou."

She flushed, embarrassed. "Right." Luckily she managed to get through the rest of her bit before Mr. Nezu called on someone else. The next person was Chiharu who stood up and recited the passage given to her perfectly.

-x-

At 11:30 the bell rang for lunch. Mitsuki put her books away and pulled out her lunch. "Where do you wanna eat?" Mitsuki asked Chiharu as she approached her. "It's warm out, I was thinking maybe the courtyard."

"Actually. I wanna go somewhere else." Chiharu's solemn look was back on her face.

That somewhere else turned out to be behind the school, in the shade.

"Back here?" Mitsuki asked, eying the area skeptically.

"Yeah, I wanted some privacy." Chiharu replied and sat down.

"Ookay." Mitsuki drawled out and sat down too. She unwrapped her lunch and opened it. "So what's on your mind?" She popped some rice into her mouth.

Chiharu was busy fiddling with her lunch—perfectly made too, Mitsuki noted. But Chiharu came from a wealthy family; all of her stuff was never out of place.

"Chiharu." Mitsuki said again. "What's wrong?"

Chiharu sighed and looked at Mitsuki, her sky-blue eyes meeting Mitsuki's brown ones. "I got in."

"Got into where?" Mitsuki wasn't following.

"I got the letter yesterday. I got into Midori Middle."

Mitsuki's appetite went away. "Oh." Midori Middle School was an all-girl's school that was super competitive and for extremely smart people. Chiharu had been talking about transferring there since the beginning of school but she had to take an admittance test first.

"So you passed the test?" Midor's swallowed with difficulty, her throat felt constricted.

"Yeah." Chiharu nodded.

"And you're transferring?"

"Yeah."

"When?"

"Monday."

Mitsuki's insides froze. "As in—this coming Monday?"

Chiharu nodded slowly. "Yes. Today's my last day at Namimori."

"I see." Mitsuki visibly slumped. "So you're leaving."

She knew it was Chiharu's dream to get into Midori. Midori was the first step towards her becoming a doctor someday and from Midori she'd get into a good high school and then get into Tokyo University.

But she and Chiharu had been best friends since the first grade when Mitsuki sat down next to her at lunch and introduced herself. Since then, they had been inseparable. A Namimori without Chiharu was... an unbearable thought.

"I'm sorry, Mitsuki." Chiharu said sadly. "I wanted to have more time but it just happened so suddenly."

"It's okay, really." Mitsuki tried to shrug off her feelings about Chiharu leaving and grasped Chiharu's hands. "I'm happy for you, I really am. I know how badly you wanted to get into Midori."

Chiharu smiled. "That means a lot to me. Thank you Mitsuki."

An idea hit Mitsuki. "I know, I'll go buy something to celebrate you getting into Midori! Wait here!" And then Mitsuki ran off, ignoring Chiharu's protests.

She bought some melon bread with the little money she had left and came back to find Chiharu had almost finished her food. "Here." She handed a melon bread off to Chiharu. "Congratulations on getting into Midori!"

"Thanks." Chiharu smiled and tore apart her bread and eating the chunks while Mitsuki bit off a piece.

"Okay, you have to come by a kendo tournament sometime." Mitsuki started off as she devoured her lunch. "Or you and I can go to a cake shop and buy cake during the weekend. We need to stay in touch."

"Of course!"

Mitsuki held out her pinky towards her best friend. "Promise?"

Chiharu smiled happily and hooked her pinky around Mitsuki's. "Promise."

-x-

**Like I said, it's the introductory chapter. So how do you like Mitsuki? Reviews, favorites, and follows are loved!**


	2. Kendo

Mitsuki wasn't able to spend much time with Chiharu after school ended; she had kendo practice and then she had to buy rice. Saturday, Chiharu went into to Tokyo with her mother to get her Midori uniform and Mitsuki went on her routinely jog around the town. And on Sunday, Mitsuki had to do her homework and study while Chiharu prepared herself for Midori the next day.

So Monday arrived and Mitsuki walked to school alone. Chiharu had to take the bus to Midori and wouldn't be able to walk with or see Mitsuki anymore. Panic welled up in Mitsuki's chest more and more as she walked closer to Namimori. Her only friend was gone and she'd have no one to talk to or sit with at lunch.

_What am I going to do?_ Mitsuki thought as she sat down at her desk. Maybe she could sneak up onto the roof to eat? Not many people went up there and she really didn't want to sit in the classroom eating _alone_ like a certain someone in their class.

"Settle down, settle down." The teacher started. "As you can see, Nakamura Chiharu has transferred out to Midori Middle School. She'll no longer be with us."

A small murmur went through the classroom, their top student had left to climb greater heights. Mitsuki felts eyes on her and she turned her head towards her right to her neighbor, Sasagawa Kyoko. Kyoko gave her a small smile before turning forward.

What was that? Mitsuki was confused. She and Kyoko weren't exactly friends, the most they spoke was a "good morning" here and there. But Kyoko was kind to everyone she met. Maybe she was offering condolences?

Kyoko was pushed to the back of her mind as Mr. Nezu began their science lesson and the day began.

-x-

Lunch arrived too soon. Mitsuki put her books away and pulled out her bento. _I'm not going to eat in the classroom._ She thought determinedly—making sure to keep her gaze off of Sawada Tsuna who was opening his own lunch, alone—and walked out the door.

Maybe she should try the roof? That was generally deserted during lunch time or she could try behind the school like yesterday.

In the end, Mitsuki went to where she and Chiharu ate lunch on Friday—behind the school. She set her bento on her lap and opened it. As she began to eat, she pulled out her phone and turned it on.

_Hopefully, Chiharu has lunch at this time too._ Mitsuki thought and began to text.

_How is Midori treating you? What's it like?-M_

After a few minutes, her phone chirped like a bird meaning that she got a reply.

_Very prestigious! Everything is a challenge now!-C_

_Sounds like an elite school. Are you settling in well?-M_

_Of course. I've already made a friend. How about you? Are you doing alright?-C_

_So far... Kinda missing you though.-M_

More like she missed Chiharu a whole lot, so much that her stomach hurt.

_You're not eating lunch alone, are you? Is that why you're texting me?-C_

_Maybe? I'll be alright. I'm sitting behind the school.-M_

_You should find someone to eat lunch with! You don't want to end up like No-Good Tsuna, do you?-C_

Mitsuki couldn't help but frown at Chiharu's last comment. Chiharu had pretty much ignored Tsuna during their school year. She was like Mitsuki, she never made fun of him but she never went out of her way to help him either. So it was a bit of a shock to see Chiharu refer to him by his nickname.

_Don't worry. I'll find someone.-M_

_And be careful. You don't want Hibari to catch you texting on campus.-C_

A slight shudder went through Mitsuki at the sight of Hibari Kyoya's name. He was the leader of the Disciplinary Committee and enforced the school rules with his terrifying personality and steel tonfas. And one of the rules was no cell phones during school hours.

_I think I'll be okay. But I better go.-M_

_I should too. Have a good day, Mitsuki!-C_

_DING DONG._

The warning bell signifying the end of lunch sounded and Mitsuki packed up her bento box. She turned her cell phone off and shoved it into her jacket pocket and headed back for her classroom.

As Mitsuki returned to her desk, her eyes landed on Sawada Tsuna. The boy's head was turned slightly and she could see that his eyes were trained on Kyoko. Huh, that was interesting but not surprising. Nearly every boy in school had a crush on her.(Thankfully, Yamamoto didn't!)

AS if he could sense someone watching him, Tsuna's eyes slid over and locked with hers but before Mitsuki could do anything, he turned beet red and looked away.

She took her seat behind him and twirled her pencil in her hand waiting for the teacher to come in and start the second half of classes.

-x-

"Freshmen, make sure the floor is clean! I'm having a match today and I don't want to slip on a dirty floor!" Their kendo captain, Mochida barked at them.

Mitsuki let out a sigh as she ran the length of the gym floor, pushing her broom. Technically, they didn't have to clean the floor since it was cleaned by the last P.E. class of the day. But Mochida was extremely particular about it and what better way to exert his authority over the freshmen?

She finished her area and put her broom away. "Nice job, Satou." Mochida's friend, Sakimoto said when she came back. "Go ahead and get your gear on."

Mitsuki bowed politely and disappeared into the locker rooms to put her kendo stuff on. First off, she changed into a traditional clothing: a jacket called a _keikogi_ and _hakama._ Then, she started putting on the protective armor.

First, she wrapped the _tare_ around her waist. Then on went the breastplate (called the _d__ō_) and Mitsuki noticed, with a frown, that it was a little tight. She must be growing again and she made a mental note to tell her father that she would need to get it adjusted or get a new one. She put the _men_ on and tied the strings behind her head, keeping the helmet in place.

Finally, she pulled the protective gloves on (called _kote_) and picked up her _shinai*,_ the wooden sword normally used for kendo.

She stepped out of the locker room just as the rest of her fellow freshmen entered to get ready.

Out on the gym floor, Mochida was already standing there.

"Go practice swings in the corner or something while I warm up!" He ordered.

Mitsuki would've preferred to practice her footwork but that required at least half of the floor and there was no way her Mochida or his gang of upperclassmen would let her. So she did what Mochida suggested and went into the corner to practice.

She bowed to an imaginary opponent and held her shinai in front of her defensively. She began to do a series of parries and attacks against the fake opponent, imagining the spar in her head. Hopping from side-to-side and back-to-front, she performed a flurry of moves; all the while being aware of her surroundings and making sure no one came too close.

"OI, SATOU!" Mitsuki was brought out of her practice and she turned towards Mochida who was glaring at her. "Quit showing off and get in the bleachers, my match's about to start!"

Oh, right. Mochida hated it when people out-shined him during kendo. She wouldn't call her practice just now showing off but her upperclassman always wanted to be called the best out of the club. So when a freshman could do upper level kendo moves...

He wasn't the happiest when that happened.

Nevertheless, Mitsuki bowed to him to show her apology and headed over to the bleachers to join the rest of the club.

"That was amazing, Satou-san!" Someone breathed as she passed.

"You're always so good!" Someone else praised.

"I bet you could take on Mochida and win!"

She flushed with embarrassment, thankful that her mask hid her face. "Thanks." She mumbled and took her seat.

"Now if you guys are done wasting time, pay attention!" Mochida snapped and turned to his opponent and their match started.

Even though Mochida was a jerk to nearly everyone in the kendo club, he was extremely good at kendo. Mitsuki had to admit it as she watched him cream his opponent. And he was nationally ranked.

And for a moment, Mitsuki wondered what it would be like to face him in a kendo match? Who would win? He was nationally ranked but Mitsuki had also been doing kendo for _years_. _It could be a close match_, she thought but then she noticed the ref.

Mochida's opponent and managed to land a hit to his wrist but the ref didn't call the point. That was right too, Mochida was notorious at not playing fair during scrimmages. _How _did_ he get so good if he cheats so much?_ She thought sourly.

-x-

After the match, Mochida had them run drills until their feet were dead and at the end of the day, he and his classmates left while everyone else was required to clean the gym. _Again._

"It's like this every day!" A classmate of Mitsuki's complained.

"Why doesn't he take responsibility every once in awhile?"

"Because Mochida-senpai believes he's at the top and therefore doesn't have to do menial tasks." Mitsuki said, more to herself than anyone else. She finished her area and put her broom away.

"I'm done for the day!" She announced. "Take care!"

"Bye Satou-san!" Several people called as she left, bag hanging off her shoulder.

She set off at a slow jog, heading for home where she could have some dinner and then get started on her homework. Hopefully, she would have time to text Chiharu. And she'd have to tell her dad about her breastplate.

_As much as I love kendo, it sure does take up a lot of my time!_ She groused as she jogged along. It had to be nearing seven o'clock already.

She passed a house and something orange and black flashed in the corner of her eye. She slowed to a stop and turned around but there was nothing there.

_Did I just see... a baby in a suit and fedora?_

Mitsuki shrugged it off and blamed it on kendo. She turned around and continued towards home.

The house she passed read: _Sawada._

-x-

***The shinai is the long stick people use in kendo as opposed to the **_**bokuto**_** which is an actual wooden sword.**

**You can look up Kendo on Wikipedia which was pretty much my source. Sorry if anything was wrong.**

**It's another slow one but next chapter will start the Daily Life arc.**

**Reviews, favorites, and follows are love! See ya in chapter three!**


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